Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Amendments to the Casper Resource Management Plan and Thunder Basin National Grasslands Land and Resource Management Plan, Converse County, WY, 28538-28539 [2014-11423]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 95 (Friday, May 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28538-28539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11423]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWYP06000.LL13100000.DB0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Amendments to the Casper Resource Management Plan and Thunder Basin 
National Grasslands Land and Resource Management Plan, Converse County, 
WY

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior and United States Forest 
Service, Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest 
Service intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
proposed Converse County Oil and Gas Project; We may also prepare land-
use plan amendments to the Casper Resource Management Plan and the 
Thunder Basin National Grassland Land Resource Management Plan. We are 
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public 
comments and identify issues. The Bureau of Land Management is the lead 
agency for the Environmental Impact Statement and the United States 
Forest Service is participating as a cooperating agency.

DATES: Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until June 30, 
2014 In order to be included in the analysis, all comments must be 
received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days 
after the last public meeting, whichever is later. The BLM will provide 
additional opportunities for public participation as appropriate. The 
dates and locations of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 
15 days in advance through the local news media, newspapers, and the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Web site at: https://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/field_offices/Casper.html.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/field_offices/Casper.html.
     Email: blm_wy_casper_wymail@blm.gov.
     Fax: 307-261-7587.
     Mail: Converse County Oil and Gas Project, BLM Casper 
Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal are available for public 
review at the BLM Casper Field Office or the United States Forest 
Service (USFS) Douglas Ranger District Office, 2250 East Richards 
Street, Douglas, Wyoming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Lacko, Assistant Field 
Manager, telephone: 307-261-7530; address: 2987 Prospector Drive, 
Casper, WY 82604; email: blm_wy_casper_wymail@blm.gov. Persons who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Ms. Lacko 
during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. 
You will receive a reply during normal business hours. You can call 
either of these numbers to have your name added to our mailing list.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice initiates the public scoping 
process for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and land-use plan 
amendments. The BLM Casper Field Office and USFS Thunder Basin National 
Grasslands intend to:
     Prepare an EIS to support decision making for the proposed 
Converse County Oil and Gas Project; and
     Begin the public scoping period to seek input on the 
preliminary issues identified with respect to this Project. In 
submitting comments during the scoping period, you should be aware 
that:
     Authorization of this proposal may require amendments of 
the 2007 Casper resource management plan or the 2001 Thunder Bay land 
and resources management plan because resource impacts will likely 
exceed those analyzed in the existing plans; and .
     A change in circumstances or a proposed action may result 
in a change in the scope of resources uses or a change in terms, 
conditions, and decisions of the approved plans for surface 
disturbance, wildlife, cultural resources, air quality and water 
quality.
    By this notice, the BLM is complying with requirements in 43 CFR 
1610.2(c). If land use plan amendments are necessary, the BLM and USFS 
will integrate the land-use planning processes with the NEPA process 
for this project.

Where is the proposed project located?

    The proposed development project area is located in Converse County 
and encompasses approximately 1.5 million acres of land, of which 
approximately 88,000 surface acres (6 percent of the project area) and 
approximately 965,000 subsurface mineral estate acres (64 percent of 
the project area) are public lands administered by BLM while USFS 
manages approximately 64,000 acres of surface (4 percent of the project 
area) within the project area. The remainder of the project area 
consists of lands owned by the State of Wyoming and private owners.

What would the project do?

    The companies involved propose to develop approximately 5,000 oil 
and natural gas wells on 1,500 new multi-well pads within the proposed 
Converse County Oil and Gas Project area over a 10-year period. The 
companies propose to:
     Develop the project area using directional, vertical, 
horizontal and other drilling techniques;
     Develop infrastructure to support oil and gas production 
in the project area including: well pads, roads,

[[Page 28539]]

pipelines, power lines, compressor and electrical substations, and 
ancillary facilities, such as water supply wells and water disposal 
facilities; and
     Request exceptions to multiple timing-limitation 
restrictions, which serve to protect several wildlife species, in an 
effort to drill year-round.
    Surface disturbance associated with the Converse County Oil and Gas 
Project proposal is estimated to include 50,000 acres of initial 
surface disturbance for the construction of new roads, well pads, 
pipelines and associated facilities, of which approximately 20,000 
acres could remain for the life of the project.

How will BLM and USFS evaluate the project?

    BLM and USFS will evaluate any authorizations and actions proposed 
in the EIS to determine if they conform to the decisions in the 2007 
Casper resources management plan (RMP) or 2001 Thunder Basin land 
resources management plan (LRMP). Any proposed actions that would 
change the scope of resource uses, terms and conditions, and decisions 
of either plan would require amendment of the affected plan. If we 
determine that a plan amendment is required, the necessary analysis 
would occur simultaneously with preparation of the Converse County Oil 
and Gas Project EIS. The preliminary planning criteria for a necessary 
plan amendment would include all of the following:
     The amendments will comply with all applicable laws, 
executive orders, regulations and be consistent with applicable policy.
     The amendments will recognize valid existing rights.
     Lands addressed in the amendments will be public lands 
(including split estate lands) managed by the BLM and National Forest 
Service System lands managed by the USFS, respectively.
     Any decisions in the amendments will apply only to Federal 
lands administered by either the BLM or the USFS.
     A collaborative and multi-jurisdictional approach will be 
used, where possible, to jointly determine the desired future condition 
and management direction for the public lands.
     To the extent possible within legal and regulatory 
parameters, BLM and USFS decisions will complement decisions of other 
agencies and of State and local governments with jurisdictions 
intermingled with, and adjacent to, the planning area.

When will public meetings be held?

    To provide the public with an opportunity to review the proposed 
project and the project information, as well as the proposed plan 
amendments, the BLM will host meetings in Casper, Douglas and Glenrock 
before June 30, 2014. The BLM will notify the public of meetings and 
any other opportunities for the public to be involved in the process 
for this proposal at least 15 days prior to the event. Meeting dates, 
locations and times will be announced by a news release to the media, 
individual mailings and postings on the project Web site.

What happens during the scoping process?

    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS. 
At present, BLM and USFS have identified the following preliminary 
issues:
     Potential effects on air quality; historic trails; 
socioeconomic; vegetation; water resources; wildlife habitat, including 
Greater Sage-Grouse and Greater Sage-Grouse Core Habitat Areas.
     Possible use of hierarchical mitigation strategies, if 
applicable and appropriate to the project and potential amendment. 
Mitigation strategies include avoidance, minimization or compensation, 
for on-site, regional, and other mitigation strategies.
     Identification of areas appropriate for landscape-level 
conservation and management actions to achieve regional mitigation 
objectives (e.g. ACECs, priority habitat, etc.).
    The project will incorporate all elements of the present Greater 
Sage-Grouse planning efforts and decisions and look to further mitigate 
impacts of the project by monitoring and evaluations as the project is 
implemented.

How will the comment process work?

    BLM and USFS will use and coordinate the National Environmental 
Protection Act (NEPA) commenting process to help fulfill the public 
involvement process under section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f), as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3). The information about historic and cultural resources 
within the area potentially affected by the proposed action will assist 
BLM and USFS in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources in 
the context of both NEPA and section 106 of the NHPA.
    Native American tribal consultations will be conducted in 
accordance with policy, and tribal concerns will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other 
stakeholders that may be interested or affected by the BLM's or USFS's 
decisions on this project, are invited to participate in the scoping 
process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to 
participate as a cooperating agency.

How will comments be evaluated?

    The Forest Service will be operating under the new requirements in 
36 CFR part 218 Subparts A and B for this project. Per these 
regulations, anyone submitting timely, specific written comments 
regarding a proposed project or activity during any designated 
opportunity for public comments will have standing to file an 
objection. This includes requests for comments during this initial 
scoping period as well as comments submitted during the 45-day comment 
period for the Draft EIS.
    It is the responsibility of persons providing comments to submit 
them by the close of established comment periods. Only those who submit 
timely and specific written comments will have eligibility (36 CFR 
218.5) to file an objection under 36 CFR 218.8. For objection 
eligibility, each individual or representative from each entity 
submitting timely and specific written comments must either sign the 
comment or verify identity upon request. Individuals and organizations 
wishing to be eligible to object must meet the information requirements 
in Sec.  218.25(a)(3).
    Before including your address, phone number, email address or other 
personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware 
that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2.

Larry Claypool,
Acting State Director, Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office.
Phil Cruz,
Forest Supervisor, United States Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-11423 Filed 5-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P